Demonstrating safe technique on a real tree is an essential part of completing training in manual tree felling. However, sourcing appropriate trees can be challenging for most registered training organisations (RTOs), creating a barrier to training skills that are crucial across a wide range of industries, including development, construction, landscaping, parks and gardens and forestry.
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Skills Insight and ForestWorks are undertaking this project to develop a mechanism for sourcing trees for delivery of the tree felling units. In consultation with stakeholders, we will investigate ways to establish partnerships between RTOs and organisations that can facilitate access to trees, such as forestry companies, councils, landowners, national parks services and other relevant stakeholders.
Our team will consult to understand existing partnerships, practices and regulations relating to tree allocation, as well as the challenges associated with each. From here, we will develop protocols and guidelines to support partnerships for identifying, allocating, and managing trees for training purposes, which will be tested with a small selection of RTOs and stakeholders. Implementation support materials and a virtual workshop will be developed to help roll out the protocol to a broader cohort of stakeholders. Our team will follow up with participants to assess the effectiveness of the protocol and produce a report outlining these findings.
The project aims to support continued delivery of the tree felling units, so that all workers are equipped with the skills to safely fell trees using a chainsaw.
Opportunities to contribute will be available throughout the project via this website.
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Timeline
Project team
Belinda Tierney
General Manager
ForestWorks
[email protected]
Rob Stowell
Project Consultant
[email protected]
Project background
This project follows the 2023-24 Tree Felling Project which updated the units for basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling skills. A key finding of the project was the need for additional support to help RTOs access trees for training and assessment. Another project is also underway to investigate potential pathways into tree felling units to ensure learners have the appropriate skills prior to enrolment. See the Pathway to Tree Felling Skills Project for more information.
This project aims to address challenges in sourcing trees for training and assessment of the basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling units.
A Project Working Group has been formed with representatives from various stakeholder groups to provide guidance on the proposed Tree Allocation Partnerships Protocol. This protocol is designed to establish a broad framework that enables registered training organisations (RTOs) to collaborate with tree/land owners including forestry companies, plantation managers, government departments, and other relevant stakeholders in sourcing trees for training and assessment purposes.
The Project Working Group met three times during May 2025 and has developed an initial draft of the Protocol. Amongst other things, the Protocol will outline the roles and responsibilities of tree and landowners, as well as RTOs, in accessing trees for training and assessment purposes. The project team is currently investigating several issues that have arisen during the development of the draft, including matters related to insurance, the management of the Protocol, and the final wording of the document. Following investigation of the issues, a working draft of the Protocol will be reviewed by the Project Working Group before pilot testing can commence.
Subscribe for updates
If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘forestry and timber’ as one of your industries of interest.
Project background
This project follows the 2023-24 Tree Felling Project which updated the units for basic, intermediate and advanced tree felling skills. A key finding of the project was the need for additional support to help RTOs access trees for training and assessment. Another project is also underway to investigate potential pathways into tree felling units to ensure learners have the appropriate skills prior to enrolment. See the Pathway to Tree Felling Skills Project for more information.
A draft Tree Allocation Partnerships Protocol and a supporting template agreement have been developed, with the opportunity for registered training organisations (RTOs) and tree/landowners and managers to be involved in pilot testing.
The draft Protocol has been developed in close partnership with registered training organisations (RTOs), tree/landowners and managers, and other stakeholders, supported by legal advice from Minter Ellison. It has been designed to establish a broad framework that enables RTOs to collaborate with tree/landowners including forestry companies, plantation managers, government departments, and other relevant stakeholders in sourcing trees for training and assessment purposes. The Protocol was approved for testing by the Project Working Group, comprised of members from various industry sectors, including arboriculture, forestry, emergency services, and land management.
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If you would like to receive updates about this project, please subscribe to our newsletter and select ‘forestry and timber’ as one of your industries of interest.
Next steps
The draft Protocol and template agreement will be piloted across three locations from November to December 2025. The pilot aims to:
- test how the Protocol can be used to form practical agreements between RTOs and land/tree owners
- identify support materials (e.g., model agreements, checklists) to maximise utilisation of the Protocol
- make recommendations on refinements to the Protocol and associated tools
- build confidence and capability in forming such partnerships.
Note: The pilot will not involve any actual tree-felling activity but will focus on testing the Protocol and enabling tools. It will aid in the evaluation of the Protocol and feasibility and effectiveness of partnerships in achieving the project objectives.
Expressions of interest
The project team is inviting expressions of interest (EOIs) from RTOs and tree/landowners and managers – including councils, forestry agencies, national parks and wildlife services, and private landholders – to participate in pilot testing of the Protocol to improve access to trees for training and assessment.
Who should apply:
RTOs that are currently delivering or planning to deliver tree-felling units and require access to trees. Tree/landowners should have suitable trees (e.g., identified for removal) and interest in supporting skills development.
Expressions of Interest close Sunday 16 November 2025.
For more information, please contact Tim Cleary, Stakeholder Engagement Lead, ForestWorks, on 0438 846 546.
This stage has not yet commenced.
At the finalisation stage, final checks are conducted and the outcomes of the project are submitted to the Department for consideration. Following this, outcomes are published or enacted.
This Skills Insight JSC project is being managed with the support of ForestWorks as part of their collaborative partnership with Skills Insight. ForestWorks has an enduring and strong connection working with the forestry, timber, paper, fibre and furnishing industries and have been engaged by Skills Insight to deliver this project in partnership.